Modes and Benefits of Green Transportation

What is Green Transportation?

Transportation is one aspect we cannot do without in this day and age. However, the current transportation systems come along with a wide range of problems including global warming, environmental degradation, health implications (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual), and emission of greenhouse gases. In fact, the transport sector attributes to 23% of the globe’s greenhouse gas emission resulting from burning of fossil fuels. Out of the total greenhouse gas emissions, road transport takes up a lion share, 75% to be precise and this trend is projected to increase in the future if it continues unabated. All this puts lot of pressure on the national governments to devise policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as oil demands.

Statistics learn that over 90% of all road transportation relies on oil. This figure almost goes hand-in-hand with the total global oil consumption, which stands at 60%. All these scenarios have caught the eyes of most governments and policies are being formulated to reverse this worrying trend of air pollution.

In this campaign, transportation is the sector being targeted since it is the major contributor to greenhouse gas emission. The immediate and obvious solution to this wanton environmental pollution is greening of the transport sector, which suggests any sort of transportation vehicle or transportation habit that is environmentally friendly and doesn’t emit toxic gasses that could impact the environment and human health. This leads to Green Transportation, which means any kind of transportation practice or vehicle that is eco-friendly and does not have any negative impact on the immediate environment.

Green transportation revolves around efficient and effective use of resources, modification of the transport structure and making healthier travel choices. For this to bear any fruit, it requires dedicated public awareness and participation, management of privately owned vehicles and innovation and production of vehicles that utilize renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, biofuels and hydroelectricity.

Modes of Green Transportation

We’ve learned that the existing modes of transportation require enormous amounts of energy, for example, fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, oil) to power vehicles on the roads. Many recognize that these very automobiles cause a lot of pollution, which impacts the environmental and lead to health complications. Promising innovative technologies could be the ultimate solution, but before such innovations come to fruition, the world can play a significant role by utilizing eco-friendly modes of transportation obtainable.

Though it is much more comfortable and convenient to drive one’s own private vehicle to office or market every other day but being a responsible citizen one should opt for green transportation that are easily accessible to everyone. Let’s look at some of the modes of green transportation available in this age.

Bicycle

This is a no brainer. Using bicycle to commute is another great mode of green transportation. Riding a bicycle instead of driving a car enormously contributes to ridding the atmosphere of greenhouse gasses. Although walking is a great green transportation mode, a bicycle has far reaching benefits because it’s faster, plus it’s in itself a form of workout. You can buy a bicycle at really reasonable prices these days. Buying and maintenance cost is only fraction of that required for car.

Electric bike

Electric bikes are great modes of green transportation because they don’t release any harmful emission into the environment. With an electric bike, only light peddling is needed. The speed of electric bikes is greatly regulated by law, though. Some countries limit electric bike speeds at 20 mph. Still, in other countries, you must have a special registration, license, and insurance to be able to ride an electric bike.

Electric vehicles

Some notable kinds of electric vehicles include cars, motorcycles, Lorries, trains, boats, and scooters. Electric vehicles powered entirely by electricity do not emit any dangerous gasses, even though the toxic emissions might be produced by plants generating the electricity. Still, the power can be tapped from renewable technologies like geothermal, hydroelectric, solar power and wind turbines.

Opting for green vehicles powered by alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies puts less pressure on the environment as compared to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles running on petrol or diesel.

Green trains

With most world governments now dedicated to supporting green transportation than ever, trains are getting increasingly greener with hybrid locomotives and other innovative green technologies. The innovative hybrid locomotives utilize similar technologies applied in hybrid cars.

The modern electric trains make use of electrified third rail, overhead lines or devices that store up energy like fuel cells and batteries. The advantage of these electric trains is that they travel at tops speeds of more than 200 mph, yet maintaining high levels of safety.

Electric motorcycles

Like other electric vehicles, electric motorcycles do not give off emissions. They are typically battery powered. Nonetheless, pollution may occur as a result of generation of grid electricity utilized to charge electric bike batteries. Electric motorcycles, however, come with a huge price tag. The cheapest electric motorcycle could cost you about $7000. Some top range motorcycles even have their parts designed from recycled materials.

Some prototypes leverage fuel technology and experts are projecting that they may be mass produced in the near future.

Multiple occupant vehicles

The explosion of vehicles around the world has been due to the booming world economy. While this is a milestone many are happy about, pollution levels have significantly increased. Multiple occupant vehicles, also referred to as carpools, reduce the number of vehicles on roads, hence, minimizing levels of pollution. Multiple occupant vehicles are very eco-friendly and favorable mode of green transportation.

Groups of friends and colleges can make use one vehicle when habitually driving in similar direction. Instead of 5 individuals driving their own cars in similar direction, it’s a lot more economical (saves money and fuel) and ecologically sensible to make use of a single car to take all of you to the destination. Definitely a great way to save petrol and money!

Service and freight vehicles

These kinds of vehicles attribute to about 9% of the total toxic gas emissions. Utilizing electricity and biofuels instead of the regular fossil fuel sources in services and freight vehicles, administering travel demands and offering lots of travel alternatives will go a long way towards aligning the transportation sector to conform to green transportation.

Hybrid cars

Hybrid cars also rely on electricity. A vast majority of hybrid cars are designed to automatically recharge their batteries by converting energy in the course of braking. Greenhouse emissions in hybrid cars are extremely low; emissions can range from 26% – 90% lower compared to standard cars. According to experts, hybrid cars cut down health-threatening emissions by over 90%. While hybrid cars contribute little to no greenhouse emissions, they lack in some areas. The batteries have some environmental impacts. This means the caustic substances lighting up the batteries have to be carefully and well disposed of.

The new hybrid buses (Public Transportation)

Some of the best innovative green buses have already hit the market. A classic example is the Mercedes-Benz Ciatro G BlueTec Hybrid Bus, which utilizes 4 electrical wheel hub motors together with automotive lithium-ion batteries. The lithium-ion battery is regarded as the world’s largest. The battery has the capacity to store up vast amounts of energy derived from a diesel generator. The bus also generates energy in the course breaking.

Pedestrians

One should prefer to walk to the school, to work and to grocery shopping etc. Walking involves zero emission of any greenhouse gas, it’s free and an additional plus is it’s a good form of exercise for the body.

Benefits of Green Transportation

Green transportation has wide ranging benefits – environmental, health, economic and individual budgets. Enlisted below are some of the key benefits of using green transportation:

Fewer to no environmental pollution

The existing modes of transportation utilize sources of energy such as fossil fuels, which emit vast quantities of greenhouse gases to the environment. Shifting to green transportation would help rid the atmosphere of these toxic gases since these modes of transportation have few to zero emissions.

Saves you money

Embracing green transportation modes like bicycles, multiple occupant cars, and electric motorcycles will save you a lot of out-of-pockets costs related to buying fossils fuels at the pump.

Contribute to building of a sustainable economy

Manufacturing and distribution of green vehicles will go along with improving existing transport systems. This will lead to creation of more jobs in the transport sector, hence, minimizing social-economic disparities and building up a sustainable economy. It will also minimize over-reliance on fossil fuels, which drain an economy.

Improved health

Energy sources from fossils fuels like natural gas, coal, and oil emit toxic gases that negatively affect our health. In fact, these gasses have been associated with rising cases of cancer and other cardiovascular diseases. The emissions produced by green vehicles are not harmful to human health, so embracing green transportation will only improve a country’s health status.

There are many other benefits associated with green transportation which will enhance healthier lifestyle and improve quality of human life. It’s a daunting task to convince the entire population to change up to green transportation, but with significant steps underway, the future of green transportation is nothing but bright. Apart from this, there are various ways to go green at home. This will not only reduce the consumption of energy but will also save our environment from further degradation.

Rinkesh is passionate about clean and green energy. He is running this site since 2009 and writes on various environmental and renewable energy related topics. He lives a green lifestyle and is often looking for ways to improve the environment around him.